Invitations and Layered Triple Berry Ganache Chocolate Cake

Honestly, people keep asking me how it feels. I don’t feel different (except for the decision making, but thank god for my mother whose doing most of the foot work and planning). I don’t know, I don’t think you’re supposed to feel different.

I mean I’m excited about the wedding. It’s wonderful to know I’ll be bound to someone I love so deeply for life. But I don’t think I’ll feel different after the wedding, just happier because it’ll be for real. Does that make sense?

Someone told me the other day that they were so happy I had found my soul mate.

I find that term unsettling. Soul mate. To me it’s a word that connotes perfection. Two people ideally suited for one another, in a way that no one else can can. It rubs me the wrong way. I think that relationships, marriage, etc. take time, effort, and work.

Two people aren’t just going to stick together because they’re “soul mates” Arguments happen, life happens, you need to want it to work out, not just expect that it’s going to.

And I don’t think there’s just one person you could stay with forever. I think you could make it work with a lot of different people. It seems…odd to believe that there is only one person out there for you.

I think you can make someone your soul mate. Love, like, affection, respect, trust, passion, effort, investment, etc. can make someone your version of perfect. That’s what I want with T- 🙂

Anyways, speaking of perfect…I made this Layered Triple Berry Ganache Chocolate Cake. A friend of mine invited me to the lake the other weekend, and what other way to thank her than with this beautiful cake. It was surprisingly easy actually…

Whisk in the sour cream and canola oil until smooth. Beat in the water slowly, in three intervals. Add in the vanilla and the vinegar and mix well (the batter should turn a little lighter, because of the reaction betwene the baking soda and vinegar. This is what gives the cake extra fluff!)

Then beat in each egg separately, mixing well after each addition.

Line two cake pans with parchment paper and butter the bottom and sides. Dust the inside with cocoa powder. If you don’t, it’ll be difficult to get the cake out, and they might break.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans, and tap them to get out any air bubbles.

Put them in the oven for 30 min.

Berry Ganache Frosting

15 oz. dark chocolate

1.5 cup frozen berries (raspberries, strawberries, I used mixed berries, and it was great!)

Raspberry Ganache (below)

8 oz. butter, room temperature (2 sticks)

Put a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water to make a double boiler! Put the chocolate and butter into the bowl, and whisk occasionally as it melts. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl (that’s too hot!)

While that’s going, put the frozen berries into a bowl and microwave them for a minute. Mash them together with a fork after that. Then put them in the microwave for another minute, take them out and mash them again. Do this again until they’re soft.

Then strain the juice off the berries…the juice is what you’ll add to the ganache! Reserve the berries to add between the layers of the cake.

When the chocolate and butter have melted and been combined, slowly add in the warm berry juice.

Taste it, if it’s not sweet enough for you, you can sift in some powdered sugar. Make sure you sift…otherwise you’ll get clumps!

Take it off the simmering water and let it cool until its spreadable. Don’t stick it in the freezer…it’ll mess with the texture. But you can cool it to room temp. then stick it in the fridge for a while!

Putting the Cake TogetherAfter the cakes come out of the fridge, make sure they cool for about 15 minutes. After that, run a knife around the edges to loosen them. And pop them out of the pan.

Then…stick them in the freezer for 10 min. Honestly, this will help when you’re icing it.

Get a plate ready with parchment paper on it. The parchment paper will make it so you don’t get frosting all over your plate.

When they come out of the freezer, put the first layer down on your plate. Level the cake with a knife. Spread a layer of ganache on the bottom layer, then spread the layer of reserved berries (the ones that we strained the juice out of), on top, then another layer of ganache.

Stick the next layer on top. Then take your frosting spatula (or knife), and spread ganache on top. Cover the top completely. To get the sides, covered…put some ganache on the edge of the top layer, then push it down, and spread. Don’t worry about it looking pretty first, after you’re done icing everything, you can make it smooth by running your spatula around it.

You can top it off with fresh berries! I chose raspberries…they worked beautifully! You can also make it pretty by dusting with a little powdered sugar.